Russia should "get out of the Middle East" because it plays a "destructive role" there, US Assistant Secretary of State David Schenker said, RIA Novosti reports.
"Keeping the Russians away from this region has been the cornerstone of American politics 45 years ago. Now they are there, playing a destructive role. We honestly believe that they should get out of there," Schenker said at a videoconference of the Middle East Institute.
At the same time, Schenker commented on the "rivalry" between Russia, the United States and China in the region, noting that Washington "does not force these countries to make any choice, but it wants them to understand the consequences that any of the options might lead to."
Schenker also repeated Trump's saying that administration of the previous President Barack Obama "welcomed Russians in Syria" to help the country's leader, Bashar al-Assad, believing that this would "drag the Russians into the quagmire".
"Russia that changed the course of the war in Syria, and as a result President Bashar al-Assad remains in power. Frankly, I think it was a failure (of the Obama administration)," he said.
According to him, success in Syria led Russia to take steps in Libya, where “it is not now playing a productive or stable role.”
Since 2015, at the request of the official Syrian authorities, Russia has been providing military and other assistance to Syria in the fight against terrorism and reconstruction of the country.
Regarding the situation in Libya, where the internal armed conflict has been going on since 2011, Russia has repeatedly stated that it does not interfere in the situation on any side of the conflict and does not provide military assistance.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
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Based on materials from RIA Novosti